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Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c9.s8.t4: (D) Food

Aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism and its Relation to Hīnayāna c9.s8.t4

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(D) Food

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(v) For self-preservation, a bodhisattva needs dress and food ⁸. He should collect food just as much as he needs.

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⁸ Ibid., p. 127. These two are called Satatabhaiṣajya, and medicines are called glānapratyayabhaiṣajya., Cf. Bodhic., p. 140.

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While going on rounds, he should avoid unseemly places¹. Of the food he collects, he should put aside one portion for his brother monks, two for the poor and the afflicted and keep the fourth for himself. This portion he takes without attachment, greediness, and setting his mind to it². He takes it simply with a view to support and maintain his body so that he may not be emaciated.

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¹ Śikṣā., p. 116.

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² Cf. Mtu., I, p. 139.

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While going on his round, he must not attend to pleasant or unpleasant things. With senses well controlled, seeing not more than a yoke's length in front, he should proceed from one house to another in regular succession³, without being elated if he gets alms, or down-hearted if he is refused. He should visit only ten houses and not more; if even then he fails to get alms, he should not be sorry. On the other hand, he should think that people are busy with their own affairs and it is so much to the good that they merely notice him, even if they do not give him alms. He should have maitrī and karuṇā for all persons he comes across, and wish them good fortune. After collecting alms, he should offer a portion to the poor if he can find any; if not, he should set apart a share for the poor as yet unseen. Then he is to sit crosslegged according to the practice of ascetics, and take his food, wishing that by the food taken by him the 80,000 worms of the body may live and be happy. If he has only very small food, he should think that it will keep his body and mind light and that he would be better fit for exertion⁴. If he receives an abundant dole, he must be moderate in his food and leave the excess upon a rock for birds and beasts.

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³ Cf. Sapadānam (*i.e.* paṭipāṭiyā) piṇḍāya carati.

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⁴ Śikṣā., pp. 128ff; Bodhic., pp. 140ff.

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He must not enjoy the taste of food and so forth. He is to be pure in mind and body, but not in his food, for he should be conscious of the fact that food turns ultimately into filth. He must not mind the kind of food, *i.e.*, whether it is good or bad, or the persons who give it to him, *i.e.*, whether the giver is man or woman, boy or girl. He should give no thought to the fact of being treated with respect or otherwise, served slowly or quickly. In this way, he should avoid all possible evil thoughts (akuśala-manasikāra).

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As a craving for food leads one to hell, a bhikṣu must not have desire for flavour (rasatṛṣṇā) of food and must eat it bearing in mind that he takes food to support his body in order to follow the right path.

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Should rain prevent him from going on his rounds, he should remain without food for two or three days, remembering all the while that there are creatures in Yamaloka and other evil places who do not get food for years, and so he must not have weakness in body and mind but must patiently endure hunger and thirst.

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If any family offers him food, pure according to the Mahāyānic restrictions, he is to take his seat and deliver a discourse on religion; and if the food be not pure he is to rise from his seat and depart. A piṇḍacārika bhikṣu must not make comments on the food received, or indulge in any sort of useless talk. He must be always indifferent to what he gets.

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A bhikṣu may accept an invitation at a woman's place if thereby he can benefit himself or anybody else¹.

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¹ Contrast Pāc. 44-46.

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When begging or eating food, a monk should remember the giver, the worms in the body, and the dharma, which causes the good of all beings².

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² Śikṣā., p. 138.

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These are the various restrictions, which a monk should observe for his satatabhaiṣajya³. But in any case, he cannot eat fish or flesh prohibited in the Laṅkavatāra sūtra⁴ and other sūtras. The Śikṣāsamuccaya quotes many sūtras⁵, where fish and meat-eating are condemned, and refers to the three restrictions (trikoṭipariśuddha) observed by the Hīnayānists⁶.

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³ Ibid., pp. 127-131.

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⁴ See Laṅkā., pp. 244ff.

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⁵ Śikṣā., pp. 131ff.

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⁶ On this topic, see Watters' Yuan Chwang, I, pp. 55f. Vinaya, I, p. 238: tikotiparisuddham macchamamsam adittham asutam aparisankitan ti; Vinaya, II, p. 197: Devadatta's demand that macchamamsam na khādeyya; Śikṣā., p. 135n: tad uddiśya hatam svahatam hanymānam dṛṣṭam; De Groot, *op. cit.*, p. 42. See also Prof. La Vallée Poussin’s remarks in the *Foreword*.

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(vi) In the *Bhikṣuvinaya*, medicines are prescribed for the sick for a yāma (three hours), for a week, or for one’s whole life¹. The Mahāyānic *Vinaya* ordains the use of ghee or oil, juice of roots, or fruits as medicaments for the preservation of the body, which is necessary for the salvation of all beings².

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¹ *Bodhic.*, p. 141.

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² *Śikṣā.*, p. 135; cf. *Vinaya*, *Mahāvagga*, VI ff, for diseases and medicines.

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